I thought the whole 'burp your jar' thing was just for show until my sauerkraut exploded
For my first few batches, I just screwed the lid on tight and left it in the pantry. I figured the gas would find its own way out, and I never had a problem. Then, about three weeks into a big batch of red cabbage, I heard a loud pop from the kitchen. The lid had blown clean off, and there was brine and cabbage shreds all over the ceiling. My wife said it looked like a crime scene. That mess, and the fact that the batch was ruined, convinced me. Now I burp my jars every single day without fail, and I keep them in a plastic tub just in case. Has anyone else had a ferment go off like a bomb, or was I just unlucky?
Wait, the lid blew clean off? That's some serious pressure, man. My worst one just made the lid bulge and leaked a bit. Cabbage on the ceiling is next level, I can't even imagine cleaning that up. Sounds like you were fermenting a grenade, not a side dish.